Performances, Potted Plants, and Politics
by I love dance
Summary: Luke sneaks into a meeting he's not supposed to be in, creating trouble for Han, who must get him out.


Title: Performances, Potted Plants, and Politics  
Characters: Han, Luke, some Leia  
Genre: humor, friendship  
Disclaimer: Just stopping by to a galaxy far, far, away and borrowing some of George Lucas's characters. ;)

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Comments are welcome and very much appreciated!! :)

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"Good evening everyone. If you would please find your way to a seat within the next minute or so, our meeting will begin. As you know we have a lot to discuss." Leia spoke from the podium in the front of the room.

Han Solo sighed. _A lot to discuss. Great. This was going to be a long night._ He hated politics; one of the reasons he was standing in the back of the auditorium by the doors, as far away as he could be and still be counted present.

One good thing about this particular meeting though, the Corellian mused, - they had a lot of food. Good food. Tables and tables of finger foods, desserts, and other fancy snacks. At least if this negotiation dragged on and on –which undoubtedly it would- Solo could at least busy himself sampling all the cuisine. Why couldn't every meeting have food? It should be a rule.

"Thank you. Our first order of business concerns-"

Not really listening, Han leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. He absently studied the ornate room, which was tastefully arranged with large shrubs and colorful flowers, high curved ceilings with several gold chandeliers, and even a fountain on the other side. Speaking of fountains, there was a chocolate one on one of the tables for dipping fruits and other desserts. That one interested Han considerably more.

"Han." Suddenly a voice whispered nearby him. Solo turned his head in the direction of the sound, but all he could see was a huge lily type of plant in an oversized, decorative pot, which itself stood about four feet tall. Not a trace of anyone though. Han decided either he was hearing things, or that dessert table with the chocolate fountain was calling him. He was turning his head away, when the plant rustled slightly, and again the voice.

"Han."

Why did that plant sound like Luke?

"Over here."

Carefully, Han pushed aside one of the large palm leaves, peering inside. Luke grinned and put a finger to his mouth, like a child reaching his hand into a cookie jar. "Shh."

"Luke," Surprise gave way to outright laughter, which Han quickly tried to gain control over. "Kid, what're you doing in there?" he asked softer, though obviously not soft enough.

"Shh, Han, not so loud! I'm not supposed to be here."

Still not quite recovered, Han covered his smile with one hand

"And don't let people see you talking to a plant."

Han turned back to face the front of the room, still unable to keep a straight face. Leave it to Luke.

"What're you doing here?" Solo repeated, once he was sure no one was looking their way.

"Hiding." Luke replied simply, then added belatedly, "They didn't invite me, so I invited myself."

"Uh huh." Han grimaced upon remembering the way his two best friends had been treated. Another reason he hated these political conferences. The Diollans didn't like Jedi, or Wookiees for that matter, and they'd been very clear that they wouldn't take part in any negotiations or treaties if they were present. Chewie didn't seem to care all that much, but Luke, Han knew, had been hurt.

"I don't know why you wanted to come anyway." Han told him, still feeling somewhat bad for his left-out little brother. "It's just a bunch of boring discussions with some bird-brained, featherless, fish-headed, …whatever they are."

A quiet snort of laughter from Luke.

"I would've much rather stayed on the _Falcon_," Han continued. He paused, glancing back at the plant as a thought occurred to him. "How did you get in here?"

"Snuck in."

"How do you plan to get out?"

A pause as Luke thought. "Hopefully the same way."

Han shook his head slightly, amused. "You sure think things through, kid."

"I'm the brains, remember?"

A few of the people in the back rows were shifting and starting to look over their shoulders for the source of noise. Han straightened slightly and pretended to be paying full attention to the speaker.

"Gotta keep it down, kid. They can hear us," he whispered once the creatures turned back around. Luke nodded, though Han couldn't see him. Neither one spoke for a while.

Eventually Han had had enough though and he whispered. "I'm gonna go get some punch. You want some?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Solo headed over to the table, which he realized halfway there was being "guarded" by a waiter. It was too late to turn around now. His staring made the Corellian a bit uncomfortable, but Solo offered a half-hearted smile as he filled the cup. He stood there drinking it for a while, casually, feigning interest in the discussion up front, then filled the emptied cup once more and headed back for his "seat".

Once he was sure the waiter wasn't looking at him Solo proceeded to hand the cup to Luke.

"Here. I would've just grabbed two but some gundark-head was watching me." He forgot to whisper and someone in the back row turned around. Then Han was caught with the cup in front of the plant. Not knowing what else to do, he turned the glass over, emptying its contents.

Luke gasped as the cold drink splashed on him and Han coughed a little to cover it up. "Looked thirsty." Han mumbled an explanation, indicating the plant, and shrugged a little. The person finally turned back around, with an arrogant, disgusted expression. Solo fought the urge to walk right over and punch him.

"Han," Luke whined, sounding downright confused. "What was that for?"

"I'm sorry, kid." Han really was, and he sounded it. "Some nerf-brain was watching me again. Here." He gave Luke his handkerchief to dry off with.

"I can go get you some more," he offered.

"No thanks." Luke sounded sure.

"If no one has anything else to add, we'll move on." Leia spoke.

"Yes, _please_, move on." Han groaned. "We're gonna be here all night."

Luke just smiled. He offered Han the handkerchief back which was now sticky with red punch.

"Just keep it for now." Han pushed his hand back. "Case they decide to water the plants or something;."

Luke immediately grew worried. "You don't think they would-" He broke off as the other started chuckling. "Very funny."

They turned their attention to the front once more as another Diollan began his speech. Luke's stomach growled and he sighed.

"You hungry, kid?

"Starving."

"What do you want?"

Luke craned his neck, trying to peer through the leaves. "What've they got?"

"Just about everything."

The youth surveyed the tables a moment more. He was growing hungrier by the second. "Just, something that won't spill on me."

Han smiled, somewhat guiltily. He moved toward the tables once more and Luke suddenly had to stifle a sneeze. Something was getting to him in here.

Meanwhile as Solo raided the finger foods, he tried to think of a better excuse in case he was caught smuggling food to Luke. "The plant looked hungry too" wasn't going to cut it.

As Han came back toward Luke with a plate piled high, Luke found he could hold back his sneeze no longer. Although quiet, it was still audible, and the plant shook along with him.

Luckily, no one but Solo seemed to notice. "Bless you, kid." Han handed him a small sandwich.

"Thanks." Luke whispered, sniffing. Then he added somewhat frustrated, "Something in here's getting to me."

"You're not sick are you?"

"I- I don't think so." Luke fought back another sneeze, unsuccessfully. "Ugh." He whispered, sounding more miserable by the second. "Han, I think it's this plant. Get me out of here."

"Alright, alright." Han looked for a place to set down his plate.

Luke sneezed and the Corellian glanced nervously around. Thankfully no one had taken an interest in the sneezing plant yet. He set down the dish on the carpeted floor, seeing there was no place else and Luke sneezed again, sniffled.

"Bless you," Solo whispered again, astounded. _What in the galaxy? The poor kid._ "Let's get you out of here."

"How?" Luke asked, his voice sounding nasally.

"No one's looking now." Han muttered. "Just climb out behind me. Quick."

Luke did just that and the Corellian helped him down.

"Now what?" Luke whispered urgently, still hiding behind him. He tried to hold his breath, hoping that would suppress the sneezes, but it wasn't working. If the Diollans found out he was here, it just might ruin everything. He should never have come.

The Corellian thought fast. Thankfully, no one was paying much attention to them. The doors were just behind him- it was getting past the guards that was going to be tricky.

"C'mere and hide your face against me."

Luke obeyed, trusting that his friend had a plan of some sorts. All he could focus on right now was trying not to sneeze.

Han started to walk towards the door, his arms around the boy, whose face was still buried against his shirt.  
_  
This was never going to work. _"Han, the guards-" Luke whispered.

"I know, I know." The Corellian thought. "You still got that handkerchief?"

"Yeah." Luke pulled it from his pocket.

Han looked at it. It was still stained red here and there from the punch. Perfect. He held it to Luke's head, and moved him slowly towards the door. "Pretend to cry."

And Luke suddenly understood. Pretending wasn't a very difficult task, since he was already sniffling, and he even added in an extra limp to his walk. Han was doing a pretty good job comforting him too. Maybe they could pull this off.

"Here goes," Han muttered as he pushed through the doors. Both of them held their breath.

Naturally, the guard standing by was caught off guard. He glanced at them inquisitively.

"He tripped and hit his head on the table," Han explained hastily, rubbing Luke's shoulder, who quietly sobbed.

"Should I get a medic?"

"No. No, he'll be fine." Han continued to move past, Luke limping along.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Thanks, though." Solo said, not turning around. "C'mon kid." He spoke to Luke, who was doing a pretty convincing job. So convincing Han almost forgot he was faking, so the comforting part came almost naturally. They kept up their charade through the hallway, out the door and didn't stop until they were safely on board the_ Falcon._

Han laughed with relief, releasing Luke. "I can't believe we pulled that off." He was surprised when he found real tears on the kid's cheeks. Gaze softening somewhat, he brushed them away with the back of his hand. "You can quit cryin' now, kid. …You okay?"

"Yeah."

"That was some performance."

"What performance?" Luke asked wryly. "You kept stepping on my foot the whole time."

"I did?" Solo was completely oblivious. He'd been too busy looking out for guards to notice where he was stepping. "I'm sorry, kiddo." He put an arm around Luke hugging him again. He felt bad. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I tried." Luke insisted. "But every time you told me to 'shh'"

Han laughed. "I thought it was part of the act. I couldn't understand you with your face buried against my shirt. I'm sorry, Luke." He still felt guilty.

"It's okay," Luke couldn't help but laugh too now. "At least I'm not sneezing anymore. That was crazy."

"That it was." Han agreed.

Luke ran a hand through his disheveled blond hair which was now sticky. "I'm gonna wash the punch out of my hair." He headed towards the fresher. "You'd better get back Han, before Leia wonders where you are."

"Uh uh. I ain't goin' back. I've had enough "fun" as it is." Han plopped down at the holograph table.

He heard the water run as Luke stuck his head under the sink.

"Well," the kid thought out loud. "You'd better be thinking up an excuse then."

The Corellian sighed and put his head down on his arms. "I hate politics."

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Thanks for reading!! *hugs!*Comments greatly appreciated! :)


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